Green Party Presidential Ticket – Former Congresswoman McKinney and Hip Hop activist Clemente – on Massachusetts Ballot

As the Democratic and Republican conventions came to a close this week, the Green-Rainbow Party placed Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente on the Massachusetts November ballot as the Green Party presidential ticket.

Created by eli_beckerman. Last modified on 2008-09-06 19:55:26

For immediate release: Friday, September 5th
CONTACTS: McKinney/Clemente MA coordinator, Lyn Meza, 617-889-2841
GRP Co-chairs Nat Fortune: 413-665-6739, Merelice: 617-277-1757
GRP Comm. Dir. Eli Beckerman, 617-821-1453, communications.director@green-rainbow.org

Green Party Presidential Ticket – Former Congresswoman McKinney and Hip Hop activist Clemente – on Massachusetts Ballot

As the Democratic and Republican conventions came to a close this week, the Green-Rainbow Party placed Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente on the Massachusetts November ballot as the Green Party presidential ticket.

"With the bright lights dimmed and the glitter gone, the working people in Massachusetts and around the country are still faced with mortgage crises, home foreclosures, growing unemployment, rising costs of food, oil, gas, electricity, etc. and no end in sight for ongoing U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Lyn Meza, coordinator for the McKinney/Clemente effort in Massachusetts. "The political conventions of the major parties have been a distraction from this harsh reality but present no solutions for the basic problems of the people of our state."

The Green Rainbow Party of Massachusetts has placed its 12 electors and the names of two candidates, Cynthia McKinney for President and Rosa Clemente for Vice President, on the ballot. McKinney is a former Democrat and six-term member of the United States Congress and was the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress in Georgia. Clemente is a longtime community organizer, journalist and former director of the Hip Hop Caucus. McKinney and Clemente were nominated at the Green Party Nominating Convention in Chicago on July 12.

"Our Presidential ticket is committed to helping to build a movement for 'Power to the People' so that we, the people, through political organization and power can begin to solve the many problems that we face," said Sandra Harris, a long time activist from Chelsea, originally from Mexico, who is now volunteering for McKinney.

While McCain and Obama stand for a "stronger military" and the continuation of US wars abroad, the only difference is one of tactics -- Obama wants more troops in Afghanistan while McCain emphasizes support for the "surge" of troops in Iraq. Meanwhile, polls show the US people want to "Bring the troops home." Cynthia McKinney calls for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and consistently opposed funding for bloated military budgets during her six terms in Congress.

On the domestic front, McKinney co-sponsored every bill in Congress to create a system of universal health care under a single payer model. She supports amnesty for undocumented immigrant workers. She authored a bill in Congress to institute a genuine living wage for all workers. She sought the repeal of the USA PATRIOT ACT. McKinney also submitted the first articles for impeachment for George Bush, which also included Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice.

The Green-Rainbow Party ultimately seeks to replace the Electoral College with direct popular election of the President and Vice President, but nevertheless did place its 12 electors on the ballot. The electors represent some of the diversity of the party and the Commonwealth, with more than half being women, including Latinos and Native Americans, an age range from early twenties through late sixties, and spread from the Berkshires to the Bay.

The Green-Rainbow State Committee also voted support for the DC Statehood Greens' suit against Vice President Cheney demanding the apportionment of Electors across the US according to the popular vote, bringing the national vote count in line with the 14th amendment of the constitution (US District Court for the District of Columbia (1:08-cv-01294) on July 28, 2008).

"While I am proud to be an elector for the McKinney/Clemente ticket, I hope that this year is the last time that the Electoral College limits active campaigning to a few battleground states. I hope our state legislature joins others for future elections in affirming that each state's Electoral College votes be cast based on the results of the national popular vote. This would mean that this year would witness the last gasp of an undemocratic institution," said Lee Scott Laugenour, a new Green-Rainbow activist from Lenox.

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Green-Rainbow Party electors, 2008

Eli Beckerman of Cambridge: Communications Director of the Green-Rainbow Party and an activist working on common solutions to the converging crises of peak oil, climate change, and an unraveling economy. Green-Rainbow state committee member.

"I am proud to be an elector this year for two inspirational women of color who are up to the enormous task ahead of building the political, economic, and social institutions we desperately need -- from the ground up. Cynthia McKinney has stood up for truth and justice throughout her career, and in Rosa Clemente, my generation is finally represented on a presidential slate in a meaningful and exciting way."

Wanda Johanna Boeke of Pittsfield: an independent business professional in the translation industry and a green activist for over twenty-five years. Green-Rainbow state committee member.

"Although I support the popular vote movement, I am proud to be an elector for Cynthia McKinney for president of the United States and Rosa Clemente for vice president in the second presidential election in the twenty-first century, a century that will undoubtedly finally see the first women at the helm of the American ship of state.

Annie M. Butler of Cambridge: a reading instructor. Former Green-Rainbow state committee member.

Sandra Harris of Chelsea: Originally from Mexico, a long-time activist from Chelsea. Green-Rainbow state committee member.

"I feel so proud to be an elector for Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente for the Green Rainbow Party at this historical time where democracy still does not exist for all."

Kimberly A. Lampereur of East Boston: tenant organizer and ESL teacher who lives in East Boston, MA. Green-Rainbow state committee member.

Lee Scott Laugenour of Lenox: proud new member of the Green-Rainbow Party active in Western Massachusetts both for the party and for the McKinney campaign.

"I hope that this year is the last time that the Electoral College limits active campaigning to a few battleground states. I hope our state legislature joins others for future elections in affirming that each state's Electoral College votes be cast based on the results of the national popular vote. This would mean that this year would witness the last gasp of an undemocratic institution."

Devin Matthew Letzer of Quincy: a progressive activist and non-profit fundraiser; active member of the Green Party (and more recently Green-Rainbow Party) for over 5 years.

Lyn Meza of Chelsea: retired all-around machinist, former Vice-President of IUE-CWA Local 201, coordinator of Chelsea Uniting Against the War and Massachusetts coordinator for the McKinney-Clemente campaign. Green-Rainbow state committee member.

"I support the demand to "Abolish the College" popularized in 2000 after George Bush and the Republican Party stole the presidential election, and am happy to be part of a team of Green-Rainbow Party electors who are supporting candidates working to build a serious movement for "power to the people."

Vladimir Morales of Amherst: Green-Rainbow state committee member and current candidate for the Amherst Select Board.

Richard P. Purcell of Holyoke: Green-Rainbow state committee member and 2007 candidate for Holyoke City Council

Grace C. Ross of Worcester: coordinator of statewide efforts to address the foreclosure crisis through the Mass Alliance Against Predatory Lending and working with MassCare for single-payer healthcare; former candidate for Governor of the Commonwealth, 2006 and for Worcester City Council, 2007. Green-Rainbow state committee member.

Jill E. Stein of Lexington: Town Meeting Member, 2002 candidate for Governor and 2006 candidate for Secretary of the Commonwealth. Green-Rainbow state committee member.